Manulife Singapore unveils industry-first IBF-certified training programme for financial professionals 

• Manulife Singapore is the first and only insurance company in Singapore to offer Institute of Banking and Finance (IBF) certification across three programme levels (Level 1 to Level 3).
• The programme will prepare financial professionals to deliver quality, tailored financial advice and services to our customers.
• The initiative is part of Manulife’s efforts to promote a continuous learning culture to equip financial representatives with relevant skills to work more innovatively and deliver the best outcomes for customers.

SINGAPORE – Manulife Singapore has introduced a new training programme for financial representatives certified by the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF). It is the first insurance company in Singapore to offer IBF-certified programmes across three levels of its curriculum.

Building on Manulife’s broader ‘Always-learning’ culture, the programme helps financial representatives upskill and succeed in a highly competitive industry, enabling them to provide better quality, more holistic advice to customers.

IBF Certification is an industry endorsed mark of quality for finance professionals in Singapore. It is only awarded to those who have attained the required skills and competency as well as the years of relevant experience.

Khoo Poh Huat, Chief Distribution Officer, Manulife Singapore, said, "Learning and development for our financial representatives is crucial in developing shared expertise that can be used to make every day better for our customers. With this in mind, we have created a structured learning roadmap for our financial representatives. We are equipping our financial representatives with the resources, capabilities and knowledge they need to strengthen engagement and create great customer experiences – from courses on fundamental business skills to kickstart careers, to specialised skills in wealth management, and financial planning in high-net-worth and protection solutions.”

Manulife’s IBF Certified Programme

Manulife’s training programme comprises two bespoke programmes that have been designed in-house (Levels 1 and 2) to deliver on Manulife’s ambitions to be the most digital and customer-centric insurance company; as well as a leadership programme designed by an external vendor (Level 3):

• Level 1 programme: An onboarding programme for quality customer service. 
  •  It provides foundational knowledge in the areas of regulatory compliance, client services, product training and solutions, digital tools and more. Training prepares financial representatives to apply these foundational skills in their routine tasks.  
  • To date, more than 1,000 Manulife representatives[1] are IBF Certified in Financial Planning Level 1.
• Level 2 programme: A three-module course that deepens the understanding of complex financial planning issues for Asia’s growing population of High-Net-Worth Individuals (HNWIs).
  • It provides skills training to onboard HNWIs in accordance with industry standards, Manulife’ policies and procedures; on client management and customer satisfaction for HNWIs.
  • Financial representatives who complete this course will be IBF Advanced (Level 2/3) certified.
  • The programme was newly conferred the IBF accreditation in May 2022, with training started in August 2022. Manulife aims to enrol its top tier representatives each year.
• Level 3 programme: Developed by LIMRA International, the Agency Management Training Course (AMTC) is a 25-week course that builds skills critical to agency management.
  • Its core modules include planning, recruiting, selection training and performance appraisal.
  • 20 leaders have been selected to be part of this programme in 2022, and training is ongoing.

Always Learning: Equal access to learning and development for all employees

Manulife’s IBF Certified Programme is one of many initiatives under its broader Learning and Development (L&D) vision to be ‘Always Learning’. This objective is particularly relevant in an industry facing constant disruption from technological advancements, digitalisation, and evolving regulations.

In 2021, Manulife Singapore introduced its inaugural Learning Fiesta to spark employee interest and drive participation in continuous learning. This year, Manulife continued with the second edition of Learning Fiesta from 23 Aug to 26 Aug. The week-long initiative saw enthusiastic participants engaged in workshops on future skills and learning from more than 30 speakers. Employees dived into topics like insurtech, blockchain, agile methodologies, artificial intelligence and analytics, human-centred design and well-being.

To support employees on their continuous learning journeys towards a skilled and adaptative future-ready workforce, Manulife has launched a holistic global learning and development platform, PURSUIT, and made learning a priority.

Introduced in 2021, the PURSUIT platform comprises a broad portfolio of initiatives, including LinkedIn Learning and the development of learning pathways. These initiatives allow Manulife to cultivate essential skillsets and strengthen team and technical capabilities to navigate digital and customer-focused transformation.

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¹Including financial representatives from Manulife Financial Advisers Pte. Ltd., Manulife Singapore’s subsidiary

About Manulife Singapore

Established in 1899, Manulife Singapore provides insurance, retirement and wealth management solutions to meet the financial needs of our customers across their various life stages. Customers can readily access our solutions through our extensive multi-channel distribution network. In addition to our established agency force, we distribute our products through a number of specialist partners, including banks and financial advisory firms. For more information on Manulife Singapore, visit manulife.com.sg.

About Manulife

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. With our global headquarters in Toronto, Canada, we provide financial advice and insurance, operating as Manulife across Canada, Asia, and Europe, and primarily as John Hancock in the United States. Through Manulife Investment Management, the global brand for our Global Wealth and Asset Management segment, we serve individuals, institutions, and retirement plan members worldwide. At the end of 2021, we had more than 38,000 employees, over 119,000 agents, and thousands of distribution partners, serving over 33 million customers. We trade as 'MFC' on the Toronto, New York, and the Philippine stock exchanges and under '945' in Hong Kong.

Not all offerings are available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit manulife.com.

Media Contacts

Zaim Zahari / Jane Goh                                                                                                
manulife@aka-asia.com       

Belinda Wong
belinda_sj_wong@manulife.com